Spraying rescheduled

Sammy Sikes, program specialist with the Department of State Health Services, looks at the nozzle on the tip of the wing of one of the airplanes to be used in the aerial spraying of Denton County, on Thursday at Denton Airport.

Aerial application set for tonight, weather willing

Provided there are no more weather
delays, aerial mosquito spraying in Denton County will begin tonight.

County officials delayed the spraying
that was scheduled for Thursday night because of a forecast of high winds.

County officials are hoping for calmer
conditions tonight and Saturday so spraying can take place as planned.

“The issue is that, in order for the
product to be as effective as it can be, they need a wind under 10 mph,” said
Jamie Moore, Denton County emergency services spokesman.

Spraying is now set to begin at 9 p.m.
and continue until 2 a.m. Saturday.

A second dose is planned between 9 p.m.
Saturday and 2 a.m. Sunday.

Moore said the county is working with
the National Weather Service to monitor wind speed, which was forecast to be
gusting between 5 to 15 mph through the prime time for spraying.

“We said earlier in the week we don’t
know the effect Isaac may have,” he said. “We don’t know if this is necessarily
an effect, but [we knew] weather could change plans.”

Another factor in the delay is
protecting cities that chose to opt out of being sprayed.

“We want to ensure the correct drift and
make sure we don’t spray an area that did not want to be sprayed,” he said.

Laura McGowan with Clarke/Dynamic
Aviation, the company that will distribute the pesticide, said ideal weather
conditions are expected tonight and Saturday.

“We’re very flexible, so if there’s [unsuitable]
weather [conditions] one night, we can still quickly adjust and move to another
night,” she said. “We had to do that with Dallas County through the rain storms
and cancellations, but we’re very capable of staying here until the job is
done.

“We’d want to get things done as soon as
possible. We want to be able to come in here and make a difference to the
health and residents of Denton County. However, Mother Nature, we’re at her
mercy, so whenever we have to move an operation so that we have greater control
on another date, we’re going to do that.”

Although Denton opted out of being
sprayed, planes to be used in the process will fly out of Denton Airport.

Four to five planes will apply the
insecticide while flying about 300 feet above the ground. The planes spray a
swath 1,000 feet wide. Droplets come out at 30 microns, about the quarter of
the size of human hair, county officials said.

Eight-tenths of an ounce will be sprayed
per acre. That equates to about two tablespoons of active ingredient for an
area the size of a football field.

Moore said the chemical degrades quickly
and has little lasting effect.

The city of Denton has been using the
same chemical in its ground spraying over the last several weeks. The city has
recommended that people stay inside and keep their pets inside during those
times.

Moore said people may want to take those
precautions, but they aren’t required.

“It’s safe for humans, it’s safe for
pets and you can be outside when it’s spraying,” Moore said. “Certainly, there
are those who are not going to want to be outside and maybe want to take extra
precautions just because it makes them feel comfortable, and we would encourage
that. But it’s not necessary and it’s not recommended by the EPA, who regulates
those chemicals.”

County officials have said they would
avoid spraying in areas where there are large outdoor gatherings, such as high
school football games.

So far this year, the county health
department has reported 141 cases of West Nile virus — 98 cases diagnosed as
West Nile Fever and 43 diagnosed as the more serious neuro-invasive disease.

SAFETY TIPS

• If outside or in a vehicle, be alert for the
spraying truck and maintain a safe distance.

• If skin or clothes are exposed, wash them with
soap and water.

• Rinse homegrown fruits and vegetables with
water as a precaution.

• Cover small ornamental fish ponds.

• Because the chemical breaks down quickly in
sunlight and water, no special precautions are suggested for outdoor swimming
areas.

HOW AERIAL SPRAY WORKS

Beechcraft King Air twin-engine planes
will fly predetermined grids at a height of about 300 feet at 170 mph. From two
100-gallon tanks mounted inside the plane, the Duet pesticide flows into tubes
mounted in the airplane’s wings. An atomizer smashes the pesticide into
droplets 30 microns wide, tiny enough to penetrate the tree canopy. The spray
system is computer-guided, distributing the chemicals in 1,000-foot swaths at a
rate of about 0.8 ounces, or about 2 tablespoons of active ingredient per acre.

SOURCE:
Denton County Emergency Services

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